Having read these articles, you’ll see that the type of chilli also affects the heat level.

Now we’re not going to get into a debate about whether you should use fresh chilli, chilli powder or curry powder – that is your choice.

The trick is to settle on one type of chilli, or brand of chilli powder or curry powder (you don’t usually know what types of chilli are in these products but most producers try to keep their products consistent).

If you use fresh chillies, you need to decide whether to use the seeds as well as the flesh of the fresh chillies.

Once you’ve chosen your chilli (with or without seeds), chilli powder or curry powder then it’s a matter of quantity.

If you make a curry using just one chilli and the curry is mild then it’s a certainty that following the same recipe but using 2 chillies will result in a hotter curry – using 3 chillies will be hotter still.

And if you follow a recipe and the result is too hot for your palate, then using less chilli will make it milder.

It’s all down to personal taste and experimentation.

And you need to be sensible about the curry heat. If you like hot curries but are cooking for somebody that likes only mild curries, you need to tone down the heat or cook 2 separate curries with different heat levels.